


Lady's Ambition

by TheoMiller



Category: Knight & Rogue - Hilari Bell
Genre: Gen, No Fisk/Kathy, No Fisk/Michael, POV Alternating, Politics, Post Scholar's Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-03-26 07:50:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3842860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheoMiller/pseuds/TheoMiller
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now reunited, Fisk and Michael travel to Crown City to help Kathy escape the looming threat of an arranged marriage to Lord Rupert, the High Liege's only son. Their sure-to-fail plan? Find a way to let Rupert marry his mistress, Meg. </p><p>When Rupert's sister offers an alternative that seems even more impossible, they accept - and promptly find themselves caught up in political scheming, assassination attempts, and power-hungry women.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1: Michael

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Fisk/Kathy never happened in this story. 
> 
> 2\. I did a sort of history nerd thing wherein the title of "King" (and, subsequently, queen/prince/princess) is avoided at all costs. After the Romans overthrew the Etruscan kings, "rex" sort of became a bad word, akin to modern usage of the term "tyrant", and thus no-one wanted to associate with it. Thus, within my story, the titular names are:  
> High Liege - High Lady (control Crown Fief at a local level and all other fiefs in a distanced way)  
> Liege Lord - Lady Liege (control of their respective fief at a local level, and all baronies within it in a distanced way)  
> Baron - Baroness (control of baronies at a local level) / Mayor (control of townships at a local level)
> 
> And the honorific "lord" is for Liege Lords and sons of the High Liege, while "sir" is for knights (a now obsolete usage) and sons of Liege Lords and Barons; "lady", however, is used for daughters of all nobles, and even for baronesses when being addressed.
> 
> 3\. All that aside - uh, have fun? OC's ahoy, but, like. Plot device!OC's, I tried to emulate Ms Bell's writing style as much as possible.

Fisk had been growing steadily twitchier as we approached the palace. I could understand that anxiety – ‘twas the last place I wanted to be, between the marks on my wrists and my unfortunate fame among the Liege’s Guard – and gave my partner a sympathetic look as we approached the gates, all three of us laden with trepidation.

“We could always fake your death like we did with Rosamund, you know,” Fisk told Kathy, somewhat desperately.

My sister had been handling her own disinclination to return to the palace with grace, although she had been uncharacteristically subdued of late, and she lifted her chin at that. “No,” she said. “I won’t leave Meg to face this alone.”

I felt a surge of pride at that. Fisk, however, looked pained. “There are _two_ of you,” he said.

“We could always ask Judith to join us,” I suggested, teasingly. “To even the odds.”

“That’s his sister, right?” Kathy said.

I nodded. “They’re very similar.”

“Take that back!” Fisk hissed, but we were interrupted from further squabbling by a member of the Liege’s Guard.

“State your name and purpose,” he said.

Kathy cleared her throat. “I am Lady Kathryn Sevenson, of Seven Oaks. This is my brother, Michael, and our associate, Master Fisk. We are here to see Lord Rupert.”

“Of course,” said the guard. “Lady Kathryn, right this way.”

We scarcely made it past the large doors before someone spotted Kathy and a group of young women in court finery swept over to us. “Lady Kathryn, darling,” one cooed. “Are you back so soon from your family emergency?”

“Ah, Lady Marion, this is my brother Michael, and his business partner Fisk.” I bowed stiffly, and Fisk immediately swept a much more impressive bow. “Michael, Fisk, this is Lady Marion, Lady Belinda, Lady Julia, Lady Tarquinia, and Lady Elisabeth.”

“’Tis nice to meet you,” I said, glancing among them. None of them seemed particularly interested in me or Fisk, and I realized these must be Kathy’s ‘rivals’ for Rupert’s love. “Fisk, mayhap we ought to—”

My partner was already talking to Lady Julia and Lady Elisabeth about their gowns, of all things, and I looked helplessly at Kathy, who looked just as uncomfortable with holding court with the people who were most emphatically not going to like our business here – namely, finding a way for Meg and Rupert to marry.

I felt the urge to warn them, but Fisk and I had agreed that mayhap blurting out our purpose to everyone whose path we crossed would be ill-advised. And we had to agree on things before we did them, now.

“Lady Kathryn!” called a new voice, and Kathy’s face lit up. “Lady Kathryn, ah, Lord Rupert would like to see you in the West Hall.”

“Certainly,” said Kathy, hiking up her skirts to lead us out of the group of women. The woman, who had to be the illustrious Meg, was lovely. Mayhap not so lovely as, say, Rosamund – but enough that I could see the appeal that had these other smart, beautiful women tripping over themselves to beat her.

Fisk murmured appropriately regretful goodbyes, but I could see the relief in his face. “They’re going to make formidable enemies,” he said quietly, as we followed my sister and her friend deeper into the castle. Kathy had taken Meg’s arm, and they were talking in low voices.

“Yes,” I said. “Hell hath no fury, and all that.”

“A woman scorned is nothing compared to an ambitious woman thwarted.”

I thought of Lady Ceciel and Professor Dayless, and shuddered.

“Exactly,” said Fisk. “What does Lord Rupert want to see us for, exactly?”

“Oh,” Meg said, “That was a lie, I’m sorry, you all just looked so uncomfortable.”’

“They’re nice enough on their own,” Kathy hastened to add.

“But en masse…” agreed Meg.

I glanced between them. “What has Kathy told you about me?”

“That you’re a knight errant, and Fisk here is—or rather, was—your squire. She says you’re here to help me marry Rupert?” she said, and her face shone with hope.

Before I or Fisk could reply, a door opened and a woman in a fine red dress strode out. “Mistress Darrow,” she said, in a cool voice that matched her composed expression. “May I speak to Lady Kathryn and her guests in private for a moment?”

“Oh, right, of course!” Meg said. She turned her back on the other woman and mouthed _good luck_ at Kathy before she hurried away, leaving us with the woman – who could only be Lady Anicia, the High Liege’s eldest daughter.

“My lady, this is Michael Sevenson, my brother, and his partner Fisk.”

“You dismantled the Rose Conspiracy,” said Lady Anicia, her dark eyes intent on me and Fisk. I was somewhat surprised to hear her mention that; while the Liege’s Guard had been involved, and I was relatively (and regrettably, given my distaste for the events of that particular adventure) well-known among them, it was hardly something the ladies of the court would concern themselves with. “No need to look so surprised, Sir Michael. I do keep up on the events of the realm.”

“’Tis not Sir Michael anymore,” I said.

She glanced at my wrists, and I made no move to cover them, though ‘twas illegal to wear my concealing wrist bands in Crown City, and thus they were quite bare to those looking for them. “The honorific for barons’ sons is ‘sir’, yes, but ‘tis also the honorific for knights of the realm.”

I inhaled sharply.

“I hear many things, Sir Michael. An unredeemed knight errant, wandering the countryside with his partner, stopping treasonous conspiracies – well, is it any wonder that reached me? I would make your position official, if you would help me solve a mutual problem of ours.”

“It depends entirely upon what problem you’d have me solve,” I said.

I heard Fisk sigh in relief beside me; one of our first agreements as partners was that we gathered information before we made promises. It had followed the first agreement, which was that we’d both follow our moral codes (including my devotion to honesty) until we were in disagreement, then would compromise with Kathy’s intervention.

Fisk, apparently, objected to me swearing by my knightly duties to help people before I knew what they needed help with, to prevent moral snares. I could see the pragmatism in that. Especially given the way a strange fire lit up Lady Anicia’s eyes as she beckoned for us to follow her into the room she’d just exited.


	2. Chapter 2: Fisk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am trash who forgot to update yesterday.

**Chapter 2: Fisk**

“I don’t wish to be the wife of whatever lord my father marries me off to,” said Lady Anicia, and I recognized that tone, I’ve heard it from Michael a thousand times, right before he does something truly idiotic that somehow works. I waited for her to declare she wanted to do something ridiculous, and I wasn’t disappointed. “I want to be the High Liege.”

Michael – the cursed, filthy hypocrite – immediately said, “You _what_?”

I stomped on his foot before he could get us beheaded by the flinty-eyed woman before us. The last few times we’d gotten on the wrong side of dangerous women – well, anyway, I didn’t think it was very smart to upset the High Liege’s daughter.

“I’m the eldest child. Had I been born with—different endowments—I would never have to fight for this,” she said. Her spine was straight, her shoulders back and chin lifted slightly, and while she couldn’t be described as pretty or beautiful – her features were strong, her cheekbones prominent, her dark brown eyes glinting with a fierce intelligence – the word _stately_ did come to mind. In short, she looked like a woman who could (and would) claw her way to the top.

I decided not to cross her. Ever.

Kathy leaned forward slightly, earnest. “Does Rupert know of your ambitions?”

“’Tis partly why I need the three of you,” admitted Lady Anicia. “This plan has three prongs, you see. I need to convince Rupert to cede his spot as heir apparent to me, and then convince Father to agree to it, and then convince the court to allow the law of the realms to change.”

“For what reward?” I asked, since Michael and Kathy clearly wouldn’t. How had I ended up with _two_ stupidly noble Sevensons?

“Lady Kathryn’s reward will be the freedom to choose her path, without fear of being married off to my brother as breeding stock. Sir Michael’s reward will be his redemption, and being knighted. As for you, Master Fisk, I’d imagine your price comes in roundel amounts?”

I’d be more offended if it weren’t true.

Kathy cleared her throat. “Lady Anicia, may we have some time to decide if this is a challenge we’d like to take on?” she said, and the way she looked between me and Michael told me she, too, expected the two of us to have different answers.

.

Michael managed to hold his tongue until we got back to Kathy’s chambers. Then, “You cannot honestly be considering it!”

“What’s your problem? She’s willing to give you everything you want, and help us accomplish what we came here to do, which is to keep your sister from marrying Lord Rupert.”

“You can’t just – have royalty bestow upon you what you wish for. You have to work for it.”

“’Twill be hard work, carrying out this plan,” observed Kathy, but her tone was neutral.

“And do you understand the upheaval ‘twill cause? The daughters of every lord and baron will wish to inherit as sons, and the sons will rebel!”

“We’ll handle it.”

“You refused to stop murderous pirates for an outrageous sum of money, but you’ll wade into politics for it?”

“Hey,” I said, somewhat irrationally offended by the reference to my disinclination to get involved in blood crimes. “I stopped the wreckers. And actually, if I remember correctly, I’m the one who dismantled the signal fire while you failed to kill a clerk.”

“Because _I got thrown off a cliff_!”

“Boys,” Kathy said, looking between us. “Since you’re being idiots, I’m going to decide for you. We’re taking this quest. For my sake, for Michael’s sake, for Meg and Rupert’s sake, and for Anicia’s sake. Michael, you don’t have to be a part of this if you don’t wish to.”

“Quest?” I said.

She rolled her eyes. “You’re both knights errant, you’re doing a difficult task for a fair lady, ‘tis hardly a stretch to call it a quest.”

“I—excuse me, I am not a knight errant!”

“He’s a knight errant, you’re his partner and equal, that makes you partners in knight errantry. Ergo, you’re a knight errant. ‘Twas how squires worked when there were knights anyways.” She said this like it was the end of the matter.

Beside me, Michael was fighting a grin. I pinched his arm.

“Very well,” he said. “It looks like you’re in charge… Lady Kathryn.”

She grinned and leaned forward to plant her hands on the table before her. “First things first: we talk to Rupert. If Rupert would rather marry Meg than be High Liege, then we proceed with his help. If he would rather be High Liege than marry Meg…” she shrugged. “We take it to court and do the best we can to mediate an agreement between Rupert and Anicia. And then I will take Meg with me to Pendarian University, and we’ll become scholars and be old maids together.”

“But we have to ask him without Meg in the room,” Michael said firmly. “I don’t wish to influence his most important life choice with the pressure of having his beloved in the room as he chooses between here and his birthright.”

I snorted – in my experience, birthrights hadn’t gotten anyone like Lord Rupert anything but misery – but didn’t argue the matter. I was curious to see what Rupert would choose, free of any influence from his so-called true love. I had a sudden mental image of Lucy in her pretty gold necklace and felt a wave of sympathy for Meg. If Lucy hadn’t been able to resist a few pretty baubles in exchange for breaking my heart, and Jack had placed his fear of the law above his concern for me… well, I couldn’t imagine Rupert being any different when there was a throne involved.


	3. Chapter 3: Michael

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, sorry I haven't posted! I've been working on original fiction. Yes, yes, that's right, I'm doing actual work. Wonders never cease.

“What’s all this about, then?” said Lord Rupert. He looked bemusedly between us.

“Lord Rupert—”

“Call me Rupert,” he said, immediately. I found I liked him more than I’d expected, as he smiled at me and Fisk. “Any friend of Kathy’s is a friend to me, and to Meg. You were saying?”

“I’m a knight errant, and Fisk is my partner. We’ve been asked to—”

“There’s a way for you to marry Meg,” interrupted Fisk.

I glared at him. “There is a catch.”

“There’s always a catch,” Fisk said brusquely. “Which is why we sent Meg out of the room. You can marry Meg and have as many little Giftless noble babies as you’d like, all legitimate, _but_ … You’d have to give up your chance at the throne.”

“I don’t understand,” said Rupert.

“You have a choice,” Fisk told him. His voice was oddly fervent, and I realized he was genuinely invested in this – whether Rupert would choose ambition or true love. It was then that I knew Rupert’s choice would confirm either Fisk’s cynical worldview or his tentative faith in humanity. I grudgingly began to hope that Rupert would choose Meg.

“A choice? Why couldn’t Meg be here, if it’s about her?”

“You’re going to be deciding your future, but it will affect her too. Will you marry Meg, remain a member of the court, and make her a courtier’s wife, or will you take the throne, marry some eligible young woman, and make Meg your consort?” Fisk asked. ‘Twas so explicitly stated that there was no room anywhere for confusion. But Rupert’s brow was furrowed anyway.

“I would do anything to marry Meg,” he said, and I believed him. “But… Surely I would have to run away with her? There is no other heir.”

I cleared my throat. “Lady Anicia wishes to be your father’s heir-apparent, in your place.”

‘Twas plain to see from the open joy that shone in Lord Rupert’s face what his choice was. But I was more interested in Fisk’s expression as Rupert dashed off, presumably to propose marriage to Meg.

“What?” I said.

He waited for the door to fall shut, then, “It just occurred to me. You could probably give Meg Gifts.”

I sighed. “The thought had occurred to me,” I admitted.

“And?” he said quietly.

“And nothing. I tried to make Chant magica again, permanently this time. He didn’t change at all.”

“Would it work if I held a knife to your throat and ordered you to?” asked Fisk, but his voice was teasing.

“You wouldn’t kill me,” I said. “My magic knows that.”

He looked thoughtful. “Well,” he said. “I’ll think of a different back up plan. You go talk to the happy couple. I need to take a walk, clear my head. I have a feeling the High Liege is going to be harder to convince.”

It was strange, watching Fisk walk away, every time it happened. I still felt a kneejerk reaction to call him back, or to offer to go with him, so he wouldn’t leave my sight. But he clearly needed space. And I needed to remind the others that we still had a ways to go.

-

“Oh, Anicia, _thank you_ ,” Meg was saying.

Lady Anicia looked uncomfortable with the attention she was getting from Meg and Rupert alike – even Kathy was hovering beside her with a grateful expression.

“”Twas the best scenario for all involved,” said Lady Anicia. “Everyone gets what they want. Sir Michael!” she said, seizing upon my arrival. “Ah, Mistress Darrow, brother, I’m certain the two of you would like some, ah, time alone to celebrate? I’ll entertain Lady Kathryn and our guests.”

“Where’s Fisk?” asked Kathy, as Lady Anicia fended off her brother and future sister-in-law’s continued expressions of gratitude.

“Off planning a back-up plan,” I told her, and then paused, because I actually wasn't sure if I believed that. “Or so he says. He seemed strangely invested in Rupert’s choice.”

“Of course,” she said, surprising me. “’Tis the choice a girl he once loved was given. She chose riches over Fisk.”

I hadn’t heard that particular story, though it explained some aspects of his natural cynicism. But 'twas hardly an isolated incident – nearly everyone he'd ever loved had left him, in some way or another. His parents. His sisters, when they went under Max's care. “And Jack left him too…” I murmured. “Poor Fisk.”

No wonder he'd been unusually empathetic when I was heartbroken over Rosamund. Of course…

"You'd think someone so upset by people leaving him wouldn't leave other people so much," I said, more bitterly than I'd intended.

"I'm surrounded by idiots," said Kathy to the ceiling.

 “So,” Lady Anicia cut in, and I couldn’t be quite sure how much of that she’d heard, for her face was masklike as ever. “Our next task is to convince my father, is it not? Do you have a plan for how to do that?”

“Well,” Kathy said, “I need to talk it over with Fisk and Michael, but… I think we should approach the High Liege – myself, Rupert, Meg, you, Michael, and Fisk – as a united front and tell him, forthright, what we’ve come up with.”

Lady Anicia looked at me as though she were inclined to repeat Kathy's earlier sentiments. I had to admit, Kathy's plan was a little… naïve.

“Don’t you think ‘tis a bit indiscreet, by court standards?” said Lady Anicia, and I got the feeling she was attempting to be gentle in her criticism.

Kathy shrugged. “Where has following the court ever gotten any of us?”

Lady Anicia, to my surprise, inclined her head. “Fair enough,” she said. “We will follow your lead, Lady Kathryn.”


	4. Chapter 4: Fisk

The High Liege looked like – well, he looked like the sort of middle-aged nobleman who’d suggest his son marry his girlfriend’s best friend as way to  _avoid_ awkwardness. He barely seemed to notice us until he spotted Kathy, at which point he immediately looked us all over.

“Who’s all this?” he asked her, nodding to me and Michael.

“This is my brother Michael,” she said, and Michael bowed. I wondered if he knew he was frowning. “And his partner, Master Fisk.”

He glanced us all over and then said, “Are these your terms for marrying Rupert?”

“Pardon?”

“Well, I assume you want your brother to marry my daughter, right? To further cement your family’s line to the throne?”

I felt a bizarre urge to laugh at the expression on Michael’s face. But, since I value my skin, I didn’t – which was proved to be a good idea when the most powerful man in the world actually spared me some attention:

“Is this Master Fisk your own, ah, paramour? Because I’m sure arrangements could be made to—”

Lady Anicia cut in with a polite little cough. “Father,” she said, “Lady Kathryn’s brother, with the help of Master Fisk, warned the Liege Guard of the Rose Conspiracy. He saved the realms.”

“Oh,” said the High Liege. Then, “Does he want a new title?” he asked, still not really looking at Michael. Not that I was complaining. I didn’t _want_ royal scrutiny of myself or Michael. But he could at least address Michael, right? He was standing right there!

“He’s a knight errant,” Kathy piped up. “He doesn’t do good deeds for the titles, or the gold. He took down the Rose Conspiracy because he wanted justice for the Rose’s victims. _And_ he’s unredeemed, and scarcely has a brass fract to his name.”

“We’re here because we have a solution to all of our problems,” said Lady Anicia.

Rupert stepped forward, holding Meg’s hand. “Father, with your blessing, I want to step down as heir apparent and marry Meg.”

“I want to become High Liege in my brother’s place,” Lady Anicia added. “So, I suppose _I_ want a title – that of Heir Apparent.”

The genial, almost grandfatherly guise faded. “How dare you,” he snarled, but he was looking at his son. “’Tis your duty to marry an appropriate bride and produce an heir rather than foist your responsibilities off on Anicia!”

“ _Appropriate_?” Meg said archly.

Kathy, too, was bristling. “Mayhap I don’t wish to be your son’s breeding stock!”

“Aye, and I don’t wish to _breed_ with Kathy!” added Lord Rupert in outraged solidarity – I clamped a hand over his mouth before he said anything even more idiotic, like that he’d much rather breed with Meg, and really, what was with nobles and their animal comparisons?

“My liege,” said Michael, who’d been unusually silent this whole time. “’Twas my duty, a few years ago, to bring an innocent woman to a rigged trial and become my brother’s steward. Had I done so, many murderers would walk free at this time – included Atherton Roseman himself. Pardon me for saying, but I believe blindly following the path expected of one is just as dangerous, if not more so, than shirking one’s responsibilities.”

I pulled my hand away from Lord Rupert’s mouth, and stepped away once satisfied he was just as dumbstruck by Michael’s addition as the rest of us.

The High Liege, however, seemed to be considering Michael’s words. Rather dubiously, however – until Anicia took a step forward, placing herself between Michael and her father. “This is not my brother’s doing,” she said. “This was my idea, Father. It has always been my ambition to lead the United Realms into its second Golden Age. I started all of this. Rupert was prepared to be miserable as the High Liege. I was not prepared to be miserable standing by.”

“Why didn’t I marry you off to some sensible lad years ago?” he asked, but his voice was fond. I reached out, drew Michael away by the elbow, as the High Liege spoke quietly with his children. Kathy and Meg followed a moment later, standing far enough away to give them some privacy – though I did plan to drag the details out of Michael later. Might as well put those cursed sharp ears to work.

I glanced sideways at Michael. Then, “Are you getting the feeling that…”

“This is too easy,” Michael agreed.

-

“Oh,” someone said, apologetically, when we ran into one another in the hall, and I paused for a moment to try and place how I knew her.

She was doing the same thing, and her face finally cleared as she figured it out. “Master Fisk,” she said. “You’re Lady Kathryn’s guests. We met earlier, in the courtyard?” she prompted gently.

“Lady Belinda,” I said. “Right, yes, of course. I’ve met so many people since coming to the city, I’m starting to lose track.”

“One of the first things you learn about court life is that you must remember everyone’s name,” she told me. It was similar in cons – if you knew enough about everyone you came into contact with, you could apply the correct kind of leverage at a moment’s notice instead of going by trial and error.

I smiled at her. “It’s kind of you to remember mine.”

“Oh,” said Lady Belinda, “’tis no trouble. You’re a good deal more interesting than those other airheads. I did miss Lady Kathryn, in her absence. What is it that you and her brother do, anyway? I heard he was—” she lowered her voice a bit, “ _unredeemed_.”

It took enormous patience, in my opinion, not to snap that he was marked unredeemed for killing nosy, gossiping noblewomen. But even though I was bitter after thinking about Jack and Lucy, I didn’t want to create trouble for Michael. I hadn’t seen him that ashamed of his wrists since—well, since he’d gotten them, and decided he wasn’t a proper knight anymore. So instead I stretched my polite smile and said, “Michael’s a good person.”

“I’m terribly sorry,” she said, quickly. “I didn’t mean to imply—oh, really, I didn’t. I’m just so terribly curious, because Kathryn seems to regard him most highly, and ‘tis unusual that an unredeemed man is spoken of so glowingly.”

“Michael is the living embodiment of the old adage ‘no good deed goes unpunished’,” I said. “He’s been unredeemed, kidnapped, cudgel-crewed, attacked by a wild boar, flogged, thrown off a cliff… oh, I’m definitely forgetting a few, trust me, he was once chased by a mob throwing rocks and had to jump into the Yare to escape. On _Calling Night_.”

Lady Belinda looked appropriately horrified and sympathetic, so I added, “And all of this because he wants to help people. It’s exhausting.”

“’Tis like a ballad come to life,” she said. She reminded me of Rosamund, except her eyes gleamed with intelligence in a way Rosamund, intuitive as the girl was, had never been capable of.

“Yeah, Michael’s definitely gone through the heroic trials,” I said. “You say Kathy speaks highly of him? That’s because he is that good.”

She frowned in concern, reaching out to press her fingertips against my arm. “But Master Fisk… what is he doing here? Is there something the matter?”

“We’re just here to help Lord Rupert,” I told her with a forced reassuring smile.

And, hopefully, that was the end of the matter. All of this success was making me nervous.


End file.
